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AN 


ADDRESS 


BAPTIST   DENOMINATION 


J 


UNITED  STATES. 


OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  SABBATH: 


FROM     THE 


SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  GENERA!  CONFERENCE, 


"  Come  DOW,  l«t  us  reawn  toi6Uier."->IMiali  1: 18, 


NEW-rORK: 
5r.\'.WlNCHESTER,   NIJW   WORLD  PRESS, 

30    AKM.BTAEBT- 

184  3. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


ft    *v 


http://www.archive.org/details/addresstobaptistOOseveiala 


The  General  Conference  of  Seventh-Day  Baptists  was  convened  at  Plainficld,  New 
Jersey,  on  the  3rd  day  of  September,  1843.  The  delegates  were  generally  impressed 
that  the  time  had  come  when  the  denomination  should  make  increased  and  vigorous 
efforts  to  promote  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible  concerning  the  Sabbath.  The  following  re. 
solutions  were  therefore  submitted  by  Paul  Stillman,  of  New- York,  and  unanimously 
adopted. 

"  Resolved,  in  view  of  the  imperious  duty  devolving  upon  us  to  publish  the  truth  of 
God  to  the  world,  that  it  is  advisable  to  make  an  appeal  to  the  various  orders  of  Christians, 
in  reference  to  the  Sabbath  of  the  Bible,  urging  them  to  a  thorough  examination  of  thp 
subject,  as  one  of  great  importance  to  the  cause  of  God. 

"  Resolved,  in  accordance  with  the  object  of  the  foregoing  resolution,  that  a  coiiiinittce 
be  appointed  to  prepare  an  address  to  our  brethren  of  the  Baptist  Denomination,  to  hn 
issued  under  the  sanction  of  the  General  Conference." 

Thomas  B.  Brown,  Paul  Stillman,  and  Nathan  V.  Hull,  were  appointed  a  Committee 
for  the  above  purpose,  who  subsequently  presented  the  following  address,  which  was 
unanimously  approved  by  the  Conference  ;  and  measures  were  taken  for  its  publication, 
and  extensive  circulation  among  the  order  of  Christians  particularly  addressed. 

DAVID  DUN^.  Moderator. 

i'HOMAS  B.  Brown,  Recording  Secretary. 

Paul  Stillman,     )  .     .         „        ,.     «       '    .  "*' 

A.  D.  TiTswoETH,  \  Assistant  Recording  Secretaries., 


ADDRESS. 


The  Seventh-Day  Baptist   General  Conference,  to  the  Members 
OF  the   Baptist  Denomination  throughout  the  United  States, 

HOLDING    to    the    OBSERVATION    OF    THE   FiRST   DaY   OF    THE   WeeK 

AS  A  Divine  Institution. 

Beloved  Brethren : 

When  our  Divine  Redeemer  dwelt  on  earth,  he 
prayed  that  all  his  disciples  might  be  "made  perfect  in  one."  As  this 
prayer  was  in  harmony  with  the  sure  word  of  prophecy,  which  instructs 
us  to  look  for  a  time  when  "  the  watchmen  shall  see,  eye  to  eye,  and 
sing  with  united  voice,"  we  are  sure  that  it  will  ultimately  be  answered. 
We  see  nothing,  however,  to  warrant  us  in  looking  for  such  a  happy 
consummation,  while  we  contemplate  the  multiplied  divisions  of  the 
Christian  world,  perpetuated,  as  they  are,  by  the  selfishness  of  human 
nature.  Here  the  prospect  is  dark  indeed.  But  we  have  an  unshaken 
confidence  in  the  power  of  Gfod  to  bring  about  his  own  purposes,  notwith- 
standing all  the  devices  of  men.  "  The  hearts  of  all  are  in  his  hands, 
and  he  tumeth  them  whithersoever  he  will."  He  that  made  "  the  multi- 
tude of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul,"  in  the  first  age  of  the  church,  can 
again  concentrate  his  scattered  bands,  break  down  every  wall  of  separa- 
tion, and  enlighten  every  mind  by  the  effusion  of  his  Spirit.  Then  shall 
Zion  move  forth  "  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners." 
We  rejoice,  brethren,  that  you,  as  well  as  ourselves,  are  looking  Ibr 
this  day  of  glory.  Moreover,  we  have  knowledge  of  your  firm  persua- 
sion, that  this  glorious  union  of  the  now  scattered  forces  of  Israel,  can  be 
eflfected  only  upon  the  basis  of  divine  truth.  With  a  single  glance  you 
see  the  fallacy  of  that  reasoning,  which  calls  upon  you,  for  the  sake  of 
union,  to  sacrifice  the  least  particle  of  God's  word.    You  have  learned 


6  APPEAL  ]?0a  I'HE  SAfiBATH, 

that  the  smallest  atom  of  truth  has  sweetness  in  it,  like  its  Author,  and 
is  more  precious  than  fine  gold.  That  meagreness  of  piety  which  finds 
"  non-essentials"  in  the  appointments  of  Jehovah,  you  cannot  abide. 
Your  language  is,  "  We  esteem  all  thy  precepts  concerning  all  things 
to  be  right,  and  we  hate  every  false  way." 

We  know,  moreover,  that  it  is  the  desire  of  your  hearts,  that  all  dissen- 
sions between  Christians  should  be  for  ever  ended.  For  this  object  you 
are  laboring  and  praying :  and  while  you  are  doing  so,  you  have  the  en- 
lightened conviction,  that  your  labors  and  prayers  will  be  more  abundantly 
successful,  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  truth  with  which  your  own 
minds  are  imbued,  and  which  you  can  bring  to  bear  upon  the  minds  of 
others.  Laboring  as  you  do  to  expound  to  others  the  way  of  the  Lord 
more  perfectly,  we  cannot  suppose  that  you  are  yourselves  unwilling  to 
learn.  We,  therefore,  approach  you  with  confidence,  affectionately  and 
earnestly  requesting  you  to  take  into  consideration  the  subject  which  is 
the  only  ground  of  difference  between  you  and  us.  We  conceive  it  to  be 
a  subject  of  great  importance ;  and  though  some  of  you  may  have  made 
it  a  matter  of  thought,  we  are  persuaded  that  the  great  body  of  your  de- 
nomination have  dismissed  it  without  any  particular  investigation.  Indeed, 
we  speak  not  unadvisedly  when  we  say,  that  on  this  question,  the  whole 
church  of  God  have  been  hushed  to  sleep.  In  urging  it  upon  your  atten- 
tion, we  think  you  will  not  charge  us  with  wishing  to  raise  disturbance 
in  Zion.  We  indulge  the  hope  that  you  will  impute  to  us  the  same  dis- 
interestedness of  motive  by  which  you  yourselves  are  actuated,  when  you 
boldly  proclaim  your  denominational  sentiments  upon  every  high  place, 
and  scatter  your  publications  in  every  direction.  Your  course  springs 
not  from  any  wish  to  foment  disturbance,  but  from  the  pain  which  your 
hearts  feel  to  see  the  institutions  of  Christ  made  void  by  the  traditions  of 
men.  Our  action  in  this  matter  springs  from  the  same  principle.  We 
feel  in  regard  to  the  Sabbath  just  as  you  do  with  regai'd  to  baptism. 
We  declare  before  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  are  governed 
by  a  desire  for  your  good  and  God's  glory. 

When  we  look  over  your  large  and  influential  denomination,  we  find, 
that,  in  reference  to  the  subject  upon  which  we  now  address  you,  you  are 
divided  into  about  three  classes.  I.  Those  who,  acknowledging  the  per- 
petuity of  the  Sabbath-law,  enforce  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  by  the 
fourth  commandment,  but  change  the  day  of  its  celebration  from  the 
seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week.  II.  Those  who  see  the  impossibility 
of  proving  a  change  of  the  day,  and,  therefore,  regard  the  commandmMit 
as  abolished  by  the  death  of  Christ.  But,  at  the  same  time,  they  consider 
the  first  day  of  the  week  as  an  institution  entirely  new,  to  be  regulated  as 
to  its  observance  wholly  by  the  New  Testament.  III.  Those  who  con- 
sider neither  the  Old  nor  the  New  Testament  to  impose  any  obligation 
upon  them  to  observe  a  day  of  rest,  and  advocate  one  merely  on  the 
ground  of  expediency. 


ADDRESSED  TO  THE   BAPTISTS.  7 

I.  First,  we  address  those  of  you  who  acknowledge  the  obligation  of  a 
Sabbath,  but  change  the  day  of  its  celebration  from  the  seventh  to  thejirst 
day  of  the  week.  We  may  be  wanting  in  discernment,  but  it  really  ap- 
pears to  us,  that  in  making  the  particular  day  to  be  observed  to  stand 
upon  New  Testament  authority,  and  yet  deriving  all  the  obligation  to 
sabbatize  on  that  day  from  the  Law,  there  is  a  departure  fVom  the  great 
principle  contended  for  by  Baptists,  that  the  extent  and  bearing  of  a  law, 
both  as  to  the  duties  it  enjoins  and  the  objects  on  which  it  terminates,  are 
to  be  learned  from  the  law  itself,  and  not  from  other  sources.  On  this 
principle  you  reject  the  logic  of  Pedobaptists,  who,  while  they  find  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  in  the  New  Testament,  go  back  to  the  law  of  circum- 
cision to  determine  the  subjects.  You  tell  them,  and  very  justly  too,  that 
the  laio  of  the  institution  is  the  only  rule  of  obedience.  But  do  you  not 
fall  into  the  same  error,  when  the  argument  has  respect  to  the  Sabbath  1 
We  can  see  no  more  fitness  in  applying  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  than  in  applying  the  law  of  circumcision  to  the  subjects 
of  baptism.  For  the  law  of  circumcision  was  not  more  expressly  confined 
to  the  fleshly  seed  of  Abraham,  than  was  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  to  the 
seventh  day  of  the  week.  The  true  principle  is  that  every  institution  is 
to  be  determined  by  its  own  law.  Therefore,  if  the  first  day  of  the 
week  is  an  institution  binding  upon  us,  the  law  to  regulate  its  observance 
should  be  looked  for  where  we  find  the  institution.  Be  pleased,  brethren, 
to  review  this  argument,  and  see  if  you  are  not  treading  on  Pedobaptist 
ground. 

In  justification  of  this  change  of  the  day,  we  often  hear  you  plead  the 
example  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.  But  where  do  we  find  anything 
to  this  effect  in  their  example  1  Did  the  apostles  sabbatize  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week  ?  Did  the  churches  which  were  organized  by  them 
do  so  1  Observe  with  marked  attention,  the  question  between  you  and  us 
is  NOT,  Did  tliey  meet  together  and  hold  worship  on  that  day  ?  but,  Did 
they  sabbatize  ?  that  is,  did  they  REST  FROM  THEIR  LABOR  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week  ?  Did  they  observe  it  AS  a  Sabbath  ?  This  is  the 
true  issue.  We  have  often  asked  this  question,  but  the  only  answer 
that  we  have  received  has  been,  that  they  assembled  for  worship.  But 
this  is  not  a  candid  way  of  meeting  the  point.  It  is  in  reality  an  answer 
to  a  very  different  question  from  the  one  we  ask.  Brethren,  act  out  your 
own  principles.  Come  up  square  to  the  question.  When  you  ask  a 
Pedobaptist,  Did  Christ  baptize,  or  authorize  the  baptism  of  little  children? 
you  expect  him  to  make  some  other  reply  than,  "  He  put  his  hands  on 
them  and  prayed.'"'  When  you  ask.  Did  the  apostles  baptize  infant  babes  1 
you  are  not  well  pleased  with  the  reply,  Tliey  baptized  hotiseholds.  Your 
question  was  with  regard  io  little  babes — the  baptism  of  them.  If,  there- 
fore, when  we  ask  you.  Did  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  sabbatize 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ?  you  merely  reply  as  above,  we  do  not  see 
but  you  are  guilty  of  the  very  same  sophistry  you  ?ire  so  ready  to  charge 


S  APPEAL  F6ft  Td£  SABBATH, 

upon  your  Pedobaptist  brethren.  Your  adroit  evasion  of  the  real  ques- 
tion seems  to  place  you  much  in  the  same  predicament  as  were  the 
Pharisees,  when  Christ  asked  them  whence  was  the  baptism  of  John.  It 
appears  as  if  you  reasoned  with  yourselves,  and  said,  "  If  we  shall  say 
they  did  sabbatize  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  the  evidence  will  be 
called  for,  and  we  cannot  find  it ;  but  if  we  shall  say  they  did  not,  we 
foar  the  day  will  lose  its  sacredness  in  the  eyes  of  the  people."  We  do 
not  by  any  means  wish  to  charge  you  with  a  Phari  aic  lack  of  principle, 
but  we  put  it  to  your  sober  judgment,  whether  your  position  is  not  an 
awkward  one.  Brethren,  reconsider  this  point,  and  see  if  you  are  not  on 
Pedobaptist  ground. 

If  the  apostles  did  not  sabbatize  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  then  it 
follows,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  whatever  notoriety  or  dignity  belonged 
to  it,  they  did  not  regard  it  as  a  substitute  for  the  Sabbath.  Consequently, 
unless  the  Sabbath  law  was  entirely  abrogated  by  the  death  of  Christ,  the 
old  Sabbath,  as  instituted  in  Paradise,  and  rehearsed  from  Sinai,  con- 
tinues yet  binding,  as  "the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God." 

But  more  than  thus.     Even  if  it  could  be  proved,  that  the  apostles  and 
primitive  Christians  did  actually  regard  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  a 
Sabbath,  it  would  not  follow  that  the  old  Sabbath  is  no  longer  in  force, 
unless  it  could  be  proved  that  they  considered  the  new  as  a  SUBSTI- 
TUTE for  the  old  ;  or,  that  so  far  as  the  particular  day  was  concerned, 
it  was  of  a  CEREMONIAL  character.     But  where  do  we  find  proof  for 
either  of  these  ?     In  the  whole  record  of  the  transactions  and  teachings 
of  the  apostles,  where  do  we  find  this  idea  of  substitution  ?     Nowhere. 
Where  do  we  find  evidence  that,  so  far  as  the  particular  day  was  con- 
cemed,  it  was  ceremonial,  and,  therefore,  to  cease  at  the  death  of  Christ  ? 
Nowhere.     The  same  argument  that  proves  the  Sabbath  law  not  to  be 
ceremonial,  proves  the  same  of  the  day.     Did  the  Sabbath  law  originate 
in  Paradise,  when  man  was  innocent,  and  had  no  need  of  a  Redeemer  ? 
So  did  the  day.     It  was  then  sanctified  and  blessed.     Does  the   Sabbath 
law  take  cognizance  of  the  relation  on  which  all  the  precepts  of  the  moral 
law  are  founded,  viz.,  the  relation  we  sustain  to  Gk)d  as  creatures  to  Cre- 
ator ?     So  does  the  day.     It  is  a  memorial  of  this  relation,  and  of  the 
rest  entered  into  by  Grod  after  he,  by  his  work,  had  established  the  rela- 
tion.    It  appears  then,  that  neither  the  Sabbath  late,  nor  the  day  it  enjoins, 
was  of  a  ceremonial  character.     True,  it  is  not  moral,  in  the  strictest 
sense,  but  rather  positive.     Nevertheless,  by  divine  appointment  it  be- 
longs to  the  same  category  with  the  moral  law,  and  must  be  considered  a 
part  of  it.     If  this  course  of  reasoning  is  correct — and  if  it  is  not,  we  hope 
you  will  point  it  out — it  would  not  follow  that  the  old  Sabbath  is  done 
away,  because  Christ  and  his  apostles  sabbatized  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week;  but  only  that  there  are  two  Sabbaths  instead  of  one. 

But  we   ask,  by  what   right  could  Christ  or  his  apostles  alter  the 
law  of  the  Sabbath  ?    Do  not  be  startled.    We  do  not  question  our 


ADDRESSED  TO  THE  BAPTISTS.  © 

Saviour's  divinity.  We  recognize  him  as  over  all,  God  blessed  for 
ever.  But  in  all  his  ministry  he  acted  under  the  appointment  of  the 
Father,  and  according  to  such  restrictions  as  were  contained  in  the  law 
and  the  prophets.  By  those  restrictions,  no  laws  were  to  be  set  aside 
at  his  coming,  except  such  as  were  peculiar  to  the  Jewish  Econo- 
my ;  such  as  "  meats,  and  drinks,  and  divers  washings,  and  carnal  ordin- 
ances, imposed  until  the  time  of  reformation."  Heb.  ix.  10.  To  set  aside 
these,  the  law  gave  the  Messiah  an  express  grant.  Heb.  x.  9.  But 
the  very  moment  he  should  attempt  to  go  beyond  the  limits  of  that  grant, 
he  would  destroy  all  the  evidence  of  his  being  the  Messiah  promised 
and  appointed.  For  it  was  by  his  exact  conformity  to  the  law,  that  his 
claims  were  established.  Hence  early  in  his  ministry  he  declared  that 
he  "  came  not  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  ppophets."  Matt.  v.  17.  The 
divinity  of  the  Saviour  gave  him  no  authority,  therefore,  to  set  aside  any 
laws,  except  those  which  were  "a  shadow  of  things  to  come."  Other- 
wise  we  should  have  God  denying  himself !— God  contradicting  himself! 
On  this  account  we  say  that  neither  Christ  nor  his  apostles  had  any 
right  to  alter  the  Sabbath.  The  New  Testament  records  not  a  single 
instance  of  Christ's  claiming  such  a  right.  When  he  avowed  himself 
Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  he  claimed  no  such  right.  He  only  claimed  to  de- 
termine what  was  the  proper  method  of  keeping  it,  what  were  breaches 
of  it,  and  what  were  not.  The  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  conse- 
quently it  was  his  prerogative  to  decide  what  acts  and  duties  answered 
to  the  nature  and  design  of  the  institution.  THEREFORE,  the  Son  of 
man  is  Lord  of  the  Sabbath.  Mark  ii.  28.  It  is  worthy  of  being  observed, 
also,  that  our  Saviour  does  not  claim  even  this  authority  on  account  of 
his  divinity,  but  AS  the  Son  of  man. 

In  regard  to  the  obligation  resulting  from  apostolic  example,  it  appears 
to  us  that  you  have  fallen  into  some  errors.  We  are  not  convinced  thai 
the  example  of  the  apostles  can  be  justly  pleaded  for  anything  else  than 
the  order  and  arrangement  of  the  church.  However  proper  it  may  be  to 
imitate  them  in  other  respects — in  the  duties  of  the  moral  law  for  instance 
— yet,  if  it  were  not  known  to  be  proper,  independent  of  their  example, 
we  cannot  suppose  their  example  would  make  it  so.  We  must  first  as- 
certain, by  some  settled  and  infallible  rule,  whether  their  practice,  is 
worthy  of  imitation.  In  regard  to  the  ordering  oi! church  affairs  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  for  they  were  sent  upon  this  very  errand,  with  the  promise 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  qualiiy  them  for  the  work.  But  the  Sabbath  is  not 
a  church  ordinance.  It  is  not  an  institution  for  the  church  as  such,  but 
for  all  mankind.  All  reasoning  with  reference  to  it,  from  apostolic  ex- 
ample, must  therefore  be  very  inconclusive.  Even  if  we  should  admit 
that  the  church  is  bound  by  such  example  with  regard  to  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  yet  this  is  the  utmost  extent  to  which  our  admissions  can  go. 
We  cannot  see  how  the  institution  becomes  binding  upon  the  world  at 
large.     Consequently  we  are  compelled  to  maintain  that  an  institution 


Jfll  APPEAL  FOR  THE  SABBATH, 

which  was  originally  given  for  all  mankind,  remains  unaltered.  We 
are  willing  that  the  example  and  practice  of  the  apostles  should  regulate 
the  church  as  to  its  ordinances  and  government,  and  herein  we  claim  to 
follow  them  as  strictly  as  you  do ;  but  when  they  are  pleaded  for  any- 
thing more,  we  want  first  to  know  whether  they  conform  to  the  express 
law  of  God.  Otherwise  we  must  consider  them  as  no  more  binding  than 
an  apostle's  quarrel  with  Barnabas. — Acts  xv.  39. 

If  this  argument  is  well  founded,  we  are  led  to  a  very  satisfactory  dis- 
posal of  a  question  often  proposed,  viz. :  Why  do  we  never  read  in  the 
New  Testament  of  Christian  assemblies  being  convened  as  such,  on  the 
Sabbath  ?  For  if  the  Sabbath  be  not  a  church  ordinance,  but  an  institu- 
tion for  mankind  at  large,  it  can  be  of  no  importance  for  us  to  know  what 
Christian  assemblies  cw  such  did  with  regard  to  it.  All  that  is  of  real 
importance  for  us  to  know  is  the  precise  bearing  of  the  institution  upon 
man  cw  man — upon  man  as  a  rational  and  accountable  creature.  On 
this  point  the  information  is  clear  and  decisive. 

The  controversy  between  us  and  you  appears  to  be  brought  down  to  a 
very  narrow  compass.  Did  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  sabbatize 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ?  And,  Is  the  wokld  of  mankind  bmi,nd  to 
imitate  their  example,  or  only  the  Chuech  ?  If  upon  a  solemn  and  pray- 
erful consideration  of  this  subject,  you  are  persuaded  that  there  is  no 
proof  that  the  early  Christians  regarded  the  first  day  as  a  Sabbath,  (sub- 
stituted in  place  of  the  seventh,)  and  will  come  out,  and  honestly  avow 
your  conviction,  we  have  no  fear  that  the  controversy  will  be  prolonged. 
For  should  you  still  be  of  opinion  that  some  sort  of  notoriety  was  attached 
to  the  day,  and  that  Christians  met  for  worship,  we  shall  not  be  very  soli- 
citous to  dispute  the  point.  The  apostolic  rule,  "  Let  every  man  be  fully 
persuaded  in  his  own  mind,"  will  then  govern  us. — (See  Rom.  xiv.  5,  6.) 
Our  concern  is  not  that  you  keep  the  first  day  of  the  week,  but  that  you 
keep  it  in  place  of  the  Sabbath,  thus  making  void  the  commandment  of 
God.  If  once  you  discover,  that  Sunday  is  not  the  Sabbath  by  divine  ap- 
pointment, and  therefore  cannot  be  enforced  upon  the  conscience,  we  are 
persuaded  that  your  deep  sense  of  the  necessity  of  such  an  institution, 
will  soon  bring  you  to  the  observance  of  the  ancient  Sabbath. 

II.  But  we  proceed  to  address  those  of  you  who  regard  the  sabbatic 
law  as  having  been  nailed  to  the  cross,  and  consider  the  First  Day  of  the 
Week  as  an  institution  entirely  new,  regulated  as  to  its  observance  wholly 
by  the  New  Testament. 

You,  whom  we  now  address,  are  exempt  from  some  of  the  inconsisten- 
cies which  we  have  exposed  ;  but  your  theory  labors  under  very  serious 
difficulties,  and  is  to  be  regarded,  on  the  whole,  as  more  obnoxious  to  the 
interests  of  religion,  than  the  one  we  have  been  considering. 

According  to  your  position,  the  New  Testament  recognizes  no  Sabbath 
at  all.    Do  not  start  at  this  charge.     That  it  is  repugnant  to  your  feel- 


AI)J)RESSED  to  THE  BAPTISTS,  11 

ingg,  we  allow.  You  have  never  thought  of  anything  else  than  entire 
abstinence  from  lahor  on  the  first  day  of  the  week.  It  is  your  day  of 
rest,  as  well  as  worship.  But  on  what  ground  do  you  make  it  a  day  of 
rest  ?  What  example  have  you  for  doing  so  ?  What  law  of  tlie  New 
Testament  requires  you  to  lay  aside  all  your  secular  business?  As  sin 
is  the  transgression  of  the  law,  and  where  no  law  is  there  is  no  trans- 
gression,— i.  John  iii.  4,  Rom.  iv.  15, — how  do  you  make  it  appear  to  be 
sin  to  work  on  the  day  in  question  ?  It  is  by  the  commandment  that  sin 
becomes  exceeding  sinful. — Rom.  vii.  13.  By  what  commandment  do 
you  make  it  appear  sinful  to  work  on  Sunday  ?  These  are  questions  of 
the  highest  importance. 

Now  suppose  one  of  your  brethren  attends  public  worship  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  and — to  make  his  conformity  to  what  is  supposed  to  be 
apostolic  example  as  perfect  as  possible — participates  in  the  breaking  of 
bread.  He  then  goes  home,  opens  his  shop,  and  commences  labor,  or  into 
the  field  to  drive  his  plough.  By  what  law  will  you  convince  him  of 
sin  ?  Not  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  as  contained  in  the  Decalogue,  for  that 
you  hold  to  be  abolished.  Not  any  law  of  the  New  Testament  winch 
says  "  keep  the  first  day  of  the  week  holy  ;  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any 
work,"  for  there  is  no  such  law.  Not  the  law  of  apostolic  example,  for 
there  is  no  proof  that  the  apostles  ever  gave  such  example.  The  very 
utmost  that  you  can  with  any  show  of  reason  pretend  of  their  example, 
is,  that  they  met  together  for  worship  and  breaking  of  bread.  To  this 
example  your  brother  has  conformed  to  the  very  letter — who  can  say,  he 
has  not  in  spirit  also  ?  What  now  will  you  do  with  him  ?  "  The  Bible, 
and  the  Bible  only,  is  the  religion  of  Protestants."  The  Bible,  therefore, 
is  the  Rule  by  which  he  is  to  be  tried.  Convict  him  of  sin  by  this  Rule, 
if  you  can. 

But  the  case  becomes  still  more  difiicult,  when  you  come  to  apply  it  to 
those  who  are  without  the  pale  of  the  church.  We  have  already  seen 
that  apostolic  example  concerns  merely  the  ordering  and  arrangement  of 
the  church.  '  Attempt  now  to  convince  the  unbeliever  of  sin  in  working 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week.  In  order  to  do  this,  charge  Apostolic  exam- 
ple upon  him.  What  is  his  reply.  "  I  know  not,"  says  he,  "  ihat  I  am 
bound  to  imitate  them  in  this  matter.  How  does  it  appear  that  lam  ?  I  will 
admit,  for  arguments  sake,  that  they  celebrated  the  Resurrection  on  Smiday 
by  religious  worship  ;  but  they  also  broke  bread  and  partook  of  it  by  way  of 
celebrating  his  death.  If  their  example  binds  me  in  one  particular,  why  not 
in  the  other?  Prove  to  me,'"  says  he,  " that  any  but  the  church  assembled 
on  the  first  day  for  worship,  and  I  will  do  so  too.  But  in  the  absence  of  all 
such  proof  I  must  conclude,  their  example  has  nothing  to  do  with  me  ;  unless, 
indeed,  you  can  make  it  appear,  that  their  example  and  practice  were  in  con- 
formity to  some  law,  which  commanded  them  as  rational  creatures,  indepen- 
dent of  their  relation  to  Christ  and  his  church.  When  you  can  produce  that 
law,  then  I  will  fed  hownd  to  obey  it,  and,  imitate  the  apostles  in  their  obedi. 


22  AWEAI,  tOR  tHfi  SABBATH, 

ence  ioU;  lut  not  Hit  ilien."  Such  is  the  reasoning  by  which  an  unbe- 
liever may  set  aside  all  your  attempts  to  charge  sin  upon  him.  Where, 
brethren,  is  your  law  which,  like  a  barbed  arrow,  pierces  the  very  soul, 
and  fastens  guilt  upon  the  conscience  ?  Where  is  that  law  which  speaks 
out  its  thunders,  saying,  thus  saith  the  Almighty  God,  the  Lord,  the  Maker 
of  Heaven  and  Earth,  it  is  the  Sabbath  day,  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any 
work  ?  To  throw  aside  the  law,  which  cuts  and  flames  every  way,  reach- 
ing soul  and  spirit,  joints  and  marrow,  in  order  to  deal  with  the  ungodly 
by  mere  apostolic  example,  is  like  muffling  the  sword  for  fear  it  will 
wound.  Apostolic  example  is  indeed  powerful  with  those  whose  hearts 
have  been  made  tender  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  with  others  powerless. 

We  are  persuaded,  brethren,  that  your  conscientious  scruples  about 
laboring  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  never  resulted  from  the  mere  con- 
templation of  apostolic  example.  Such  example,  it  is  true,  is  all  the  law 
you  acknowledge  ;  but  this  is  the  theory  you  have  adopted  since  you  came 
to  maturity,  and  began  to  think  for  yourselves.  Your  scruples  have  an 
earlier  and  difierent  origin.  They  commenced  with  your  childhood,  when 
you  were  taught  to  consider  the  day  as  holy  time.  It  was  then  impressed 
upon  your  mind,  that  Grod  had,  by  express  law,  forbidden  you  to  desecrate 
the  day,  and  that  you  would  incur  his  displeasure  in  case  you  should  do 
so.  The  idea  was  them  imbibed,  that  if  you  did  not  keep  the  day,  you 
would  violate  the  fourth  Commandment.  This  idea  has  grown  with  your 
growth,  and  strengthened  with  your  strength.  It  has  obtained  such  com- 
manding  influence  over  your  feelings,  that  you  cannot  forbear  keeping  a 
day  of  rest,  though  your  theory  does  not  require  it.  Even  to  this  day  a 
strong  impression  rests  upon  your  minds,  that  the  fourth  Commandment 
contains  much  of  moral  excellence ;  too  much  to  be  thrown  altogether 
away,  notwithstanding  your  system  of  theology  teaches  its  abrogation.- 
Such  is  the  true  secret  of  your  tenderness  of  conscience.  Apostolic  ex- 
ample has  in  reality  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Following  the  secret  monitions 
of  conscience,  your  prosperity  is  promoted  in  spite  of  your  theological 
system.  But  sound  reason  discovers,  that  your  experience  and  your  the- 
ory  are  in  opposition  to  each  other.  Some  of  the  more  thinking  ones  among 
you  are  aware  of  this,  and  are  continually  aiming  at  such  a  modification 
of  their  theory,  that  their  experience  will  harmonize  with  it.  But  be  as- 
sured, here  will  be  an  everlasting  conflict,  until  you  come  to  acknowledge 
fully  and  heartily  the  claims  of  the  sabbatic  law. 

We  are  aware  of  that  system  of  theology,  which  regards  the  New  Tes- 
tament as  furnishing  the  only  code  of  laws  by  which  men  are  bound  since 
the  death  of  Christ.  We  have  looked  at  this  doctrine  with  attention ;  and 
so  far  as  the  order,  government,  and  ordinances  of  the  church  are  con- 
cerned, we  admit  its  truth.  As  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  Jewish 
church  were  determined  by  the  Old  Testament,  so  the  laws  and  ordinan- 
ces of  the  Christian  church  are  determined  solely  by  the  New  Testament. 
Therefore,  we  should  say  at  once,  the  argument  is  yours,  if  the  Sabbath 


ADDRESSED  Td^THE  BAPTISTS.  Id 

'Were  a  church  ordinance.  In  such  case,  however,  none  hut  the  church 
has  a  Sabbath.  But  the  question  is  not  concerning  church  ordinances. 
In  these  we  follow  the  New  Testament  as  closely  as  yourselves.  The 
question  is  concerning  an  institution  which  has  respect  to  mankind  at 
large  ; — to  man  as  man  ;  for  the  Saviour  teaches  us  that  the  Sabbath  was 
made  for  man.  Now  it  will  be  a  very  hard  matter  to  prove,  that  when 
men  as  rational  creatures  are  concerned,  the  only  code  of  laws  by  wliich 
they  are  bound,  is  the  New  Testament.  Let  us  put  the  matter  to  the 
test.  How  will  you  prove  that  it  is  unlawful  for  a  man  to  marry  his  sister, 
his  daughter,  or  any  other  of  near  kin  ?  The  New  Testament  utters  not 
a  word  on  the  subject.  It  is  not  enough  to  say,  it  is  implied  in  the  law 
which  forbids  adultery  ;  for  it  must  first  be  proved  to  be  a  species  of  adul- 
tery. Nor  will  it  do  to  say,  the  common  sense  of  mankind  is  a  sufficient 
law  on  the  subject.  For  the  moment  we  suppose  that  its  unlawfulness  is 
to  be  determined  in  this  way,  we  abandon  the  argument  that  the  New 
Testament  is  the  only  code  of  laws,  and  resort  to  the  common  sense  ot 
mankind  as  furnishing  a  part  of  the  code.  But  if  the  common  sense  of 
mankind  shall  furnish  a  part  of  the  code  by  which  we  are  bound,  w  lio 
shall  undertake  to  say  how  large  a  part?  Besides,  on  this  principle,  the 
book  of  divine  revelation  is  not  complete  and  perfect.  It  is  a  lamp  to  our 
feet  only  in  part,  and  the  common  sense  of  mankind  makes  out  the  defi- 
ciency !  You  are,  therefore,  driven  to  take  your  stand  again  upon  the 
New  Testament.  Finding  you  there  again,  we  repeat  the  question,  How 
do  you  prove  hy  your  code,  that  a  man  may  not  marry  his  sister  ?  It  is  i)ri- 
possible.  You  must,  of  necessity,  look  to  that  division  of  the  scriptures 
usually  called  the  Old  Testament ;  for  the  New  says  not  one  word  about  it . 

Let  us  turn  now  to  the  18th  chapter  of  the  book  of  Leviticus,  and  we 
shall  find  a  collection  of  laws  exactly  to  the  point.  "  None  of  you  sliall 
approach  to  any  that  is  near  of  kin  to  him,"  (fee. — v.  6.  The  degrees  of 
kindred  are  then  expressly  marked.  Will  it  be  objected,  tliat  these  laws 
were  given  particularly  to  the  Jews,  and  to  no  other  people  ?  We  admit 
they  were  given  to  the  Jews,  as  indeed  was  the  whole  system  of  revela- 
tion in  that  age  :  but  we  cannot  admit  that  they  concerned  no  other  class 
of  people.  For  it  is  expressly  shown  in  that  chapter,  that  the  matters  of 
which  they  took  cognizance,  were  regarded  as  abominations  in  the  Gen- 
tiles. Because  of  such  things,  the  fierce  wrath  of  Jehovah  came  down 
upon  the  Canaanites,  and  they  were  cast  out  from  the  land  as  loatlisome- 
ness. — v.  24-30.  If  these  things  were  viewed  as  abominable  in  the  Ca. 
naanites,  they  surely  were  not  ceretnonial  pollutions.  They  were  not 
mere  Jewish  laws.  The  fallacy  of  the  doctrine  is  therefore  sufficiently 
exposed. 

We  think  you  have  fallen  into  error  concerning  the  nature  and  design 
of  that  division  of  the  scriptures  commonly  called  the  New  Testament. 
We  regard  it  not  as  the  Law  Book  of  mankind,  in  the  strict  and  proper 
sense ;  but  rather  as  a  Treatise  on  Justification,  in  which  are  contained  such 


%4  Al'PEAL  fOa  TEE  SABBATH, 

references  to  the  law,  and  such  quotations  from  it,  as  are  necessary  to 
the  complete  elucidation  of  the  subject.  The  preparation  of  this  treatise 
was  of  necessity  delayed,  until  the  great  sacrifice  for  sin  had  been  offered, 
and  our  High  Priest  had  entered  into  the  holy  place.  For  as  the  sacrifice 
and  intercession  of  our  High  Priest  constitute  the  sole  foundation  of  our 
justification,  so  "  the  way  into  the  holiest  of  all  was  not  yet  made  mani- 
fest, while  the  first  tabernacle  was  yet  standing." — Heb.  ix.  8.  So  much 
of  the  plan  of  justification  was  illustrated  to  the  people,  as  could  be  by 
means  of  the  ritual  service  ;  and  that,  together  with  the  prophecies,  laid 
a  foundation  for  them  to  believe  that,  in  some  way  or  other,  they  would  be 
just  before  God.  So  that  hy  faith  the  patriarchs  were  justified. — Heb.  xi. 
They  knew  it  was  to  be  somehow  through  the  work  of  Him,  who  was 
typified  and  promised  as  the  great  Redeemer.  But  understand  the  plan 
they  could  not,  until  the  Redeemer  came  and  died  for  them. 

Because  this  treatise  on  justification  could  not  be  prepared  until  after 
the  death  of  the  High  Priest,  therefore  it  was  not  proper  to  organize  gospel 
churches.  The  only  church  that  was  suitable  for  that  age  was  found 
in  the  Jewish  nation,  and  from  its  very  nature  was  unfit  for  the  world  at 
large.  It  was,  therefore,  confined  to  that  people.  Moreover,  because  it 
was  not  proper  to  organize  gospel  churches,  until  the  way  of  justification 
was  fully  laid  open,  it  was  also  not  proper  to  lay  down  the  laws  and 
ordinances  of  the  church  until  that  time.  This  accounts  for  the  laws  of 
the  church  being  found  only  in  the  New  Testament. 

Now,  if  the  New  Testament  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  treatise  on  justifica- 
tion, with  such  references  to  the  Old  as  are  necessary  for  the  elucidation 
of  the  subject,  rather  than  as  the  Law-Book  for  mankind  at  large  ;  the  idea 
that  the  Sabbath  ought  not  to  be  looked  for  in  the  Old  Testament,  falls 
to  the  ground.     Nevertheless,  to  some  minds  it  appears  strange,  that 
while  the  New  Testament  writers  mention  all  the  other  duties  of  the 
Decalogue,  this  is  apparently  omitted.     In  speaking  of  the  sins  of  which 
Christians  were  guilty  before  their  conversion,  not  one  word  is  said  about 
Sabbath  breaking,  though  upon  other  suis  they  dwell  with  emphasis.    But 
this  admits  of  a  very  easy  solution.    Those  \vTiters  addressed  two  classes 
of  converts ;  those  from  among  the  Jews,  and  those  from  among  the  Gen- 
tiles.   As  to  the  former,  they  were  already  rigid  to  an  extreme  in  keeping 
the  Sabbath.    All  that  was  necessary  to  do  in  their  case,  was  to  vindicate 
the  institution  from  Pharisaic  austerities,  and  determine  what  was  lawful 
to  be  done,  and  what  was  not  lawful.     This  was  done  by  Christ.     But  as 
for  the  Gentile  converts,  to  charge  them  with  having  been  guilty  of  the 
sin  of  Sabbath  breaking  in  their  state  of  heathenism,  would  have  been 
manifest  impropriety.     For  the  Sabbath  being  for  the  most  part  a  positive 
rather  than  a  vwral  precept,  it  could  not  be  known  without  a  revelation. 
But  as  the  Gentiles  had  no  revelation,  this  is  a  good  reason  why  the 
apostle  dwelt  not  upon  this  sin  to  charge  it  upon  them,  but  only  upon 
those  which  were  more  obviously  breaches  of  the  Moral  Law.    Thus  it 


ADDRESSEp  TO  THE  BAPTISTSw  IB" 

appears,  there  was  no  necessity  for  any  more  particular  mention  of  the 
Sabbath  to  be  made  in  the  New  Testament,  than  what  is  made. 
(  But  it  is  not  our  object  in  this  address  to  cover  the  whole  field  of  argu- 
ment. We  design  simply,  by  presenting  some  of  the  strong  points,  and 
exposing  your  inconsistencies,  to  stir  up  your  attention  to  the  subject. 
We  are  sure  that  the  great  majority  of  you  have  never  given  it  a,  thorough 
investigation.  For  a  complete  discussion  of  the  whole  ground  wo  refer 
you  to  our  publications.  Will  you  read  them  ?  Will  you  anxiously 
inquire,  What  is  truth?  Will  you  pray  over  the  matter,  saying,  -'Lord, 
what  wilt  thou  have  us  to  do  ?"  Or,  will  you  sleep  over  it,  as  if  it  were 
of  no  great,  p'-essing,  practical. importance  ? 

^  III.  But  we  must  address  that  class  of  Baptists  who  consider  neither 
the  Old  nor  the  New  Testament  to  impose  any  obligation  to  observe  a  day 
of  rest,  and  advocate  one  merely  on  the  ground  of  expediency.  In  some 
sections  of  our  country.  Baptists  would  consider  it  almost  a  slander  upon 
their  denomination  to  intimate  that  there  were  persons  of  such  anti-Sab- 
bath principles,  wearing  their  livery.  But  any  one,  who  is  conversant 
with  the  order  at  large,  knows  very  well  that  it  is  no  slander.  There  are 
those  who  boldly  avow  such  doctrine,  and  many  others  who  do  not  deny 
that  it  is  their  real  sentiment,  though  they  are  not  anxious  or  forward  to 
proclaim  it  upon  the  house  tops.  Whether  this  class  embraces  a  very 
large  proportion  of  the  denomination,  it  is  not  necessary  to  inquire.  It  is 
our  impression  that  the  proportion  is  sufficiently  large,  to  justify  an  eflbit 
for  their  conversion  to  right  views  of  Divine  Truth. 

If  there  is  no  day  of  rest  enjoined  by  divine  authority,  and  the  matter 
rests  wholly  upon  expediency,  we  see  no  reason,  except  that  the  voice  of 
the  multitude  is  against  it,  why  you  cannot  as  well  observe  the  seventh 
as  the  first  day  of  the  week.  There  would  be  no  sacrifice  of  conscience 
in  so  doing,  while  it  would  be  a  tribute  of  respect  to  those  who  feel  that 
the  keeping  of  the  seventh  day  is  an  indispensable  part  of  duty.  But  it 
is  not  on  this  principle  particularly  that  we  desire  you  to  change  your 
ground.  Feeling  that  it  is  not  our  party  that  must  be  honored,  but  rather 
divine  truth,  and  our  party  only  for  the  sake  of  the  truth,  we  would  much 
rather  correct  your  doctrinal  views. 

Of  course,  you  do  not  deny  that  a  day  of  rest  was  once  enjoined  upon 
God's  chosen  people.  It  is  only  under  the  gospel  that  you  suppose  all 
distinction  of  days  to  be  annihilated.  If  then  it  is  expedient,  that  a  day 
of  rest  should  be  observed,  it  follows  irresistibly,  that  the  annihihitioa  of 
all  distinction  in  days  by  the  gospel,  was  very  INEXPEDIENT !  And 
thus,  whatever  blessings  the  gospel  dispensation  brings  to  the  human 
race,  a  strict  following  out  of  its  principles  would  be  INEXPEDIENT  ! 
and  farther,  that  the  Law,  which  enjoined  a  day  of  rest,  had  more  of  an 
eye  to  expediency,  than  the  gospel  has  !  Consequently,  that  the  gospel, 
though  declared  to  be  faultless,  and  capable  of  perfecting  those  who 


19  APPEAt  POtt  THE  SABBATff, 

believe,  must  nevertheless,  foe  expediency's  sake,  borrow  a  little  Tielp 
from  the  abrogated  rites  of  the  law !  In  other  words,  Grod,  in  setting 
aside  a  day  of  rest,  committed  an  oversight,  and  left  his  work  for  man  to 
mend ! !  Brethren,  we  see  not  how  it  is  possible  for  you  to  escape  such 
monstrous  conclusions.  They  are  the  legitimate  result  of  your  princi- 
ples. Such  principles  you  must  have  adopted  in  hot  haste,  without  con- 
Bidering  where  they  would  land  you.  For  we  are  not  disposed  to  believe 
you  so  completely  destitute  of  piety,  as  willingly  to  abide  by  the  result 
of  them.  We  entreat  you  to  reconsider  them,  and  adopt  such  as  are 
more  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  our  holy  religion. 

When  you  advocate  the  observance  of  a  day  of  rest  on  the  ground  of 
expediency,  we  are  persuaded  that  you  do  so  in  view  of  the  bearing  yoy^ 
perceive  it  to  have  upon  the  well-being  of  mankind.  But  still  the  ques-^ 
tion  will  arise,  Has  the  gospel  less  regard  to  the  well-being  of  mankind, 
than  the  law  had  ?  Look  at  the  humanity  of  the  institution.  How  ne- 
cessary that  both  man  and  beast  should  rest  one  day  in  seven.  How 
evident  that  they  cannot  endure  uninterrupted  toil.  How  perfectly  well 
established,  that,  if  doomed  to  constant  labor,  they  sink  under  the  prema- 
ture exhaustion  of  their  powers.  So  well  is  this  established,  that  we  can- 
not put  such  a  low  estimate  upon  your  judgment,  as  to  suppose  it  neces- 
sary to  enter  upon  any  proof  of  it.  But  the  question  returns.  Does  the 
gospel  breathe  less  humanity  than  the  law  ?  Or,  consider  the  bearing  of 
the  institution  upon  the  interests  of  religion.  It  affords  opportunity  for 
men  to  be  instructed  in  the  great  things  which  pertain  to  their  salvation ; 
and  unless  they  were  thus  called  away  from  their  labors,  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  bring  religious  instruction  into  contact  with  their  minds.  Does 
the  gospel  afford  less  advantage  in  this  respect,  than  the  Law  did  ?  Did 
the  Law  provide  a  season  for  instructing  the  people  in  religion  as  it  the7i 
stood  ?  and  does  the  gospel  provide  no  season  for  instructing  them  in  re- 
ligion as  it  now  stands  ?  Must  they  be  instructed  in  types,  but  not  in  the 
substance  7 — in  prophecy,  but  not  in  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy  ?  No 
one  will  be  responsible  for  the  affirmative  of  these  questions. 

If  the  New  Dispensation  actually  has  abrogated  the  Sabbath,  we  do  not 
believe  that  it  is  expedient  to  observe  it.  We  cannot  believe,  however, 
that  an  institution  so  important  to  the  civilization,  refinement,  and  reli- 
gious  prosperity  of  mankind,  has  been  abrogated.  We  refer  you  to  our 
publications,  and  to  the  publications  of  those  who  have,  in  common  with 
us,  defended  the  perpetuity  of  the  sabbatic  law ;  and  we  entreat  you  to 
reconsider  your  ground.  The  doctrine  of  expediency  !  What  a  fruitful 
source  of  corruption  has  it  been  to  the  church  of  Grod !  Not  an  anti- 
Christian,  popish  abomination,  but  what  pleads  something  of  this  kind. 
Do,  dear  brethren,  let  ^  be  expunged  from  your  creed. 

Brethren  of  the  Baptist  Denomination. — You  are  a  great  and 
growing  people.     Your  influence  is  felt  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 


i.l)DKESSED  rro  THE  BAPTISTS-  l? 

of  our  land.  We  rejoice  in  your  prosperity.  "  May  the  Lord  make  you 
to  increase  and  abound  in  love  one  towards  another,  and  toward  all  men." 
In  your  prosperity  we  behold,  in  a  measure,  our  own.  Your  baptism  is 
our  baptism.  Your  church  government  is  our  government.  Your  doc- 
trinal principles  are  ours ;  and  there  is  nothing  which  constitutes  any 
real  ground  of  separation,  except  the  great  and  important  subject  we  now 
urge  upon  your  attention. 

The  popularity  you  have  gained  as  a  Denomination,  however,  is  not 
owing  to  your  Sabbath  principles.  It  is  founded  entirely  on  your  views 
concerning  the  initiating  ordinance  of  the  gospel.  These  views  are  char- 
acterized by  that  perfect  simplicity,  which  markes  every  divine  institution. 
Hence  you  have  won  the  affections  of  the  common  people,  while,  if  you 
had  attempted  to  operate  on  them  by  a  more  complicated  theory,  failure 
would  have  been  the  result. 

This  induces  us  to  urge  upon  your  notice  the  exceeding  simplicity  of  the 
Sabbatarian  argument,  compared  with  all  those  theories  which  stand  in 
opposition  to  it.  It  is  adapted  to  persons  of  weak  capacities,  of  whom 
there  are  thousands  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Any  illiterate  person  can 
open  the  Bible,  and  point  to  chapter  and  verse  saying,  "the  seventh  day 
is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God."  This  is  plain  ;  he  can  understand 
it.  But  talk  to  him  about  redemption  being  greater  than  creation  ;  re- 
demption finished  by  the  resurrection  of  Christ ;  an  event  so  important 
ought  to  be  commemorated;  in  order  to  do  this,  the  day  of  the  Sabbath 
was  changed  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week : — for  all 
which  there  is  not  a  single  "  thus  saith  the  Lord,"  nothing  but  the  uncer- 
tain deductions  of  human  reason.  Can  he  understand  it  ?  No.  It 
requires  an  elevation  of  intellect  which  God  has  not  given  him.  The 
inferences  and  deductions  are  beyond  his. capacities.  How  then  is  he  to 
render  an  intelligent  obedience  ?  If  he  conform  his  practice  to  the  theory 
thus  set  before  him,  it  will  not  be  because  he  understands  it,  but  because 
he  is  willing  to  trust  the  guidance  of  his  mind  to  those  who,  he  thinks, 
know  more  than  he  does  himself.  Thisj  therefore,  is  strong  intei-nal  evi- 
dence, that  the  keeping  of  the  first  day  is  not  of  God.  For  CJod's  Book 
is  adapted  not  only  to  those  of  elevated  intellect,  but  to  the  ignorant  and 
rude.  Everything  concerning  our  practice  is  plain  even  to  wayfaring 
men.  Were  it  otherwise,  we  should  conclude  that  the  Bible  is  not  an 
inspired  production.  If  it  did  not  come  down  to  the  capacities  of  all,  we 
should  infer  that  it  was  not  made  by  Him  who  made  all  minds.  Indeed 
it  would  not,  in  such  case,  be  a  revelation  to  all,  but  only  to  the  more 
talented.  But  it  is  a  revelation  to  all ;  and  he  that  obeys  God,  must  do 
it  for  himself;  he  that  repents  and  believes,  must  do  so  for  himself;  and 
at  the  great  day,  every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  for  himself  unto 
God.  It  is  of  the  very  last  importance,  therefore,  that  every  one  know 
for  himself  the  foundation  of  his  faith  and  practice. 

In  thus  urging  the  simplicity  of  the  argument  for  the  Sabbath,  we  are 


/ 


Ifl  APPEAL   POB.  THE   SABBATH, 

but  doing  what  you  do  in  regard  to  Baptism.  Compare  the  cases.  A 
man  of  considerable  intellect  can  reason  from  the  Abrahamic  Covenant, 
lay  propositions  together,  and  draw  inferences  and  deductions,  until,  finall}', 
he  makes  it  pretty  clear  to  his  own  mind,  that  the  children  of  the  flesh, 
these  are  the  children  of  God ;  Paul  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 
But  how  is  it  with  some  good  old  Baptist  sister,  who  can  hardly  lay  two 
ideas  together,  and  draw  a  logical  inference  from  them?  Why,  she 
cannot  tell  anything  about  this  reasoning  from  the  Abrahamic  Covenant. 
It  is  something  she  does  not  understand.  But  she  can  open  her  Bible, 
and  point  to  chapter  and  verse  for  believer's  baptism.  She  puts  her  finger 
upon  something  that  is  just  adapted  to  her  capacities.  As  she  has  a  soul 
to  save,  an  obedience  to  render,  and  an  account  to  give,  all  for  herself, 
her  practice  is  accordingly.  Brethren,  think  this  matter  over,  and  see 
whether  your  reasoning  on  the  Sabbath,  is  not  very  much  akin  to  that  of 
those,  who  reason  from  the  Abrahamic  Covenant  to  Baptism.  Think 
seriously,  whether  it  does  not  render  intelligent  obedience  impossible  to 
vast  numbers  of  Christians.  Think  whether  a  course  of  reasoning  which 
darkens  a  very  simple  subject,  is  not  more  specious  than  solid. 

Again,  your  children  arc  to  be  early  instructed  in  this  matter.  How 
do  you  succeed  in  making  them  understand  it?  Is  your  little  child 
capable  of  comprehending  all  this  argument,  which  you  found  upon  the 
finishing  of  redemption  by  the  resurrection  of  Christ  ?  Can  you  point 
him  to  any  plain  passage,  where  Christ  authorizes  a  change  of  the  Sab- 
bath ?  How  do  you  feel,  when  the  little  creature  says,  in  the  simplicity 
of  his  heart,  "  Father — Mother,  does  not  the  fourth  Commandment  require 
the  observance  oi  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  ?  But  do  we  not  keep  the 
first  day  ?  I  should  think  this  is  not  keeping  the  Commandment."  One 
would  think,  you  would  be  forcibly  reminded  of  that  scripture,  "  Out  of  the 
mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  Thou  hast  ordained  strength." — Ps.  viii.  2. 

The  extensive  operations  in  which  you  are  engaged  for  the  conversion 
of  the  world,  render  it  in  the  highest  degree  important,  that  you  should 
not  err  on  a  question  like  this.  If  you  are  right,  you  ought  to  be  very 
certain  of  it.  Among  the  heathen  you  are  extending  the  observance  of 
Sunday,  along  with  all  your  other  sentiments.  If  you  are  thus  sowing 
the  seeds  of  error  instead  of  truth,  the  evils  who  can  calculate  ?  Hence 
you  cannot  too  early  begin  to  review  your  ground.  Consider  the  diffi- 
culties  your  missionaries  already  have  to  encounter,  because  of  unscrip- 
tural  sentiments  propagated  among  the  heathen  by  those  who  loved  their 
souls.  The  poor,  perishing  idolaters  are  witnesses  to  the  clashing  of 
doctrine  between  Jesus  Christ's  men,  and  they  ask,  "Why  is  this?  You 
have  come  to  give  us  a  gospel  which  professes  to  viake  its  followers  'perfect 
in  one,'  and  yet  you  yourselves  are  divided.''  Yet  you  cannot  in  conscience 
abandon  your  principles,  nor  dare  you,  in  your  translations,  give  to  a 
sentence  or  a  particle  one  single  turn,  which  will  not  fully  express  the 
mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit.    Dare  you,  then,  without  feeling  the  most  entire  ^ 


ADDRESSED  TO  THE  BAPTISTS.  13 

certainty,  teach  them  that  God  says  "  Remember  the  first  day  of  the  week 
to  keep  it  holy."  The  responsibility  of  the  missionary,  in  thi>j  respect,  is 
not  less  than  where  his  translation  is  concerned.  Does  ho  feel  the  same 
awful  sense  of  responsibility  ? 

From  the  heathen  turn  to  the  contemplation  of  the  Jewish  nation.  The 
time  cannot  be  far  distant,  when  those  who  "  as  touching  the  election  are 
beloved  for  the  fathers'  sakes,"  shall  be  called  to  behold  the  glory  of 
Grod  in  the  face  of  Him  they  have  so  long  long  rejected.  But  in  order 
to  this,  a  voice  from  the  divine  word  cries,  "Cast  ye  up,  cast  ye  up, 
prepare  the  way,  take  up  the  stumbling-block  out  of  the  way  of  my 
people."  Have  Christians  seriously  considered  what  this  stumbling-block 
is  ?  For  our  own  part,  we  are  persuaded  that  nothing  can  be  more  justly 
called  by  this  name,  than  the  general  abandonment,  on  the  part  of  Chris- 
tians, of  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord.  The  Jews,  taking  it  for  granted,  with- 
out examination,  that  this  abandonment  is  really  taught  by  the  Christian 
religion,  suppose  that  its  author  cannot  be  the  true  Messiah.  They  have 
seen  through  eveiy  period  of  their  nation's  history,  that  God  has  put  sig- 
nal honor  upon  this  institutioi;!.  They  have  seen  its  sacredness  elevated 
high  above  that  of  the  ceremonial  institutions.  They  have  hearrl  their 
prophets  dwell  upon  the  profanation  of  it  as  the  crying  sin  of  the  land,  on 
account  of  which  the  sore  judgments  of  heaven  came  down  upon  it.  It, 
is  true,  some  teach  that  the  whole  Mosaic  system  was  clothed  with  as 
much  sacredness  as  the  Sabbath ;  and  that  it  was  not  for  the  sui  of  Sahbath 
breaking,  any  more  than  for  a  disregard  of  the  ritual  service  in  general, 
that  they  suffered  the  wrath  of  Jehovah.  But  such  persons  must  have  paid 
only  a  superficial  attention  to  the  subject.  The  attentive  reader  cannot 
but  be  struck  with  the  fact,  that  while  in  the  prophets  the  Sabbatli  is 
exalted  as  of  vast  importance  to  the  nation,  and  all  its  prosperity,  and  tlie 
favor  of  Grod,  seemingly  suspended  on  the  proper  keeping  of  it,  ceremo- 
nial  usages  are  comparatively  depreciated. 

Since  the  Sabbath  holds  such  a  sacredness  throughout  the  ancient  ora- 
cles of  Gk)d — since  the  Israelites  have  taken  their  lessons  of  obedience  to  it 
under  "  the  rod  of  his  wrath" — since  no  grant  was  given  to  the  Messiah 
to  set  it  aside,  nor  the  least  intimation  ever  made  to  the  Jews  that  it  would 
be  set  aside— can  we  wonder  that  they  think  that  teacher  to  be  an  im- 
postor who  should  break  this  Commandment,  and  teach  men  so  ? 
J,  But  there  is  a  crisis  approaching — the  day  is  near,  and  it  hastctli 
greatly — when  it  will  be  indispensable  that  all  those  wlio  truly  love  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  have  their  "loins  girt  about  with  truth."  Popery  is 
preparing  for  another  desperate  struggle.  The  great  principle  of  the 
Reformation,  that  "  the  Scriptures  are  the  only  Rule  of  faith,"  is  to  be 
discussed  anew.  In  the  Church  of  England  this  discussion  has  already 
commenced.  Rome  has  opened  her  sluices,  and  anti-Christian  corruption 
again  threatens  to  flood  the  Church  of  God.  As  the  water  naturally  seeks 
Buoh  channels  as  may  be  already  prepared,  so  will  it  be  with  this  doc- 


trine.  *  Wnatljranch  of  Zion  will  be  next  troubled  ?  Probably  that  which 
makes  the  next  widest  departure  from  the  great  Protestant  principle. 
Then  that  which  is  next  in  order ;  and  so  on.  For  it  cannot  reasonably 
be  expected  to  stop,  until  it  reach  that  order  of  people  which  is  governed 
by  the  Bible  alone.  Upon  all  others  the  desolation  must  be  more  or  less 
extensive.  For  those  who  acknowledge  the  principle  of  departing  from 
the  Bible  in  ever  so  small  a  degree,  may  be  expected  to  exemplify  it  to 
an  indefinite  extent,  when  the  circumstances  of  the  times  are  so  modified 
as  to  give  occasion  for  it.  As  for  yourselves,  you  do  not  admit  the  prin- 
ciple of  departing  from  the  scriptures,  but  rather  hold  it  in  abhorrence. 
The  language  of  your  creeds  is  explicit  on  this  point ;  and  we  know  of  no 
denomination  so  forward  to  plead  a  strict  conformity  to  this  principle  as 
yourselves.  Yet  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  pretend,  with  any  show  of 
modesty,  that  the  scriptures  expressly  enjoin  the  keeping  of  Sunday  as  a 
Sabbath  to  the  Lord.  You  cannot  say,  from  scripture  authority,  that  the 
apostles  observed  it  as  such.  Nevertheless,  your  creed  declares  that  it  ought 
to  be  so  observed  ;  and  your  practice  accords  with  your  creed.  Where- 
fore  it  is  as  evident  as  mathematical  demonstration,  that  you  do  depart 
from  the  great  Protestant  principle.  Consequently,  if  our  views  be  correct 
in  regard  to  the  crisis  which  is  at  hand,  the  time  cannot  be  far  distant, 
when  your  own  denomination  will  in  some  modified  form  be  affected  with 
the  heresy.  You  will  then  be  compelled  to  abandon  every  principle  and 
practice,  which  can  give  the  heresy  the  smallest  advantage. 

Do  you  think,  brethren,  that  in  your  present  position,  you  are  prepared 
for  the  great  struggle  ?  When  the  Puseyite,  replying  to  those  who  con- 
tend for  the  Protestant  maxim,  refers  to  the  observance  of  Sunday,  and 
says,  "  Here  we  are  absolutely  compelled  to  resort  to  the  aid  of  ancient 
usage,  as  recorded  not  by  the  inspired,  but  by  the  uninspired  writers  ;" — 
are  you  ready  for  the  issue  ?  Can  you  confute  what  he  says  ?  When 
another  one  says,  "  The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  Grod  : 
we  celebrate  the  Jirst.  Was  this  done  by  divine  command  ?  No.  I  do 
not  recollect  that  the  Saviour,  or  the  apostles,  say  we  shall  rest  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week  instead  of  the  seventh  ;"  and  then  concludes,  "  The  same 
reasons  which  urge  you  to  dissent  from  the  observance  of  the  three  grand 
festivals  of  the  Church  of  England,  ought  to  opeTate  with  you  respecting 
the  Sabbath  ;" — are  you  prepared  to  join  issue  with  him  ?  Can  you  jus- 
tify yourselves  on  your  own  principles  ?  If  you  can,  we  will  confess  our 
short-sightedness.  But  indeed  we  fear,  we  tremble,  in  view  of  the  crisis 
which  is  approaching,  when  we  look  at  the  traditional  usages  prevailing 
among  Christians,  and  consider  with  what  a  tenacious  grasp  they  are  held. 
O  Lord  God  Almighty  !  Thou  who  hast  sworn  that  '  thy  kindness  shall 
not  depart  from  thy  church,  nor  the  covenant  of  thy  peace  be  removed ;' 
let  not  thy  truth  fall  in  the  contest. 

We  mean  not  to  goad  your  feelings,  by  chajging  upon  you  any  of  the 
abominations  of  Popery.    We  are  sure  you  would  not  cherish  one  of  them, 


ADDRESSED  TO   THE   BAPTISTS.  21 

if  you  were  conscious  of  it.  But  we  take  it  for  granted,  that  those  who 
are  forward  to  take  the  mote  out  of  their  brother's  eye,  are  willing  to  have 
the  beam  taken  out  of  their  own.  You  have  charged  Pedobaptist  denomi- 
nations, over  and  over,  with  upholding  Popery's  chief  pillar.  You  have 
told  them,  that  their  zeal  against  the  man  of  sin  would  avail  them  but  lit- 
tle, until  they  first  rid  themselves  of  his  traditions.  You  have  talked  feel- 
ingly of  the  sin  of  encumbering  the  ordinances  of  God  with  human  inven- 
tions. You  have  read  the  church  of  Christ  many  a  good  lesson  on  the 
importance  of  holding  the  truth  in  its  purity.  In  all  this  you  have,  doubt- 
less, been  sincere.  We  have  no  fault  to  find  with  you ;  for  you  have  only 
followed  the  Bible  direction,  "  cry  aloud,  spare  not,  show  my  people  their 
transgression."  In  conformity  with  this  direction,  we  would  endeavor  to 
act  our  part,  as  faithful  reprovers.  Yet  our  desire  is,  to  do  it  with  meek- 
ness, considering  ourselves,  lest  we  also  be  tempted.  It  may  be — we 
know  not — that  some  of  the  abominations  of  the  man  of  sin  are  cleaving 
to  us.  If  so,  "  let  the  righteous  smite  us,  it  shall  be  a  kindness ;  let  them 
reprove  us,  it  shall  be  an  excellent  oil  which  shall  not  break  our  head." 
Turn,  brethren,  to  the  7th  chapter  of  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  and  35th 
verse.  You  there  find  one  spoken  of  who  "  shall  speak  great  words 
against  the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High, 
and  think  to  change  times  and  laws."  You  have  had  no  difficulty  in 
finding  in  this  prophecy  a  reference  to  the  law  of  baptism,  as  one  of  the 
laws  which  this  great  power  has  changed ;  but  you  have  not  shown  satis- 
factorily what  are  the  times.  You  have  usually  referred  them  to  the  nu- 
merous festivals  and  holy-days,  which  have  been  multiplied  by  the  church 
of  Rome.  But  these  were,  times  established  ;  not  times  changed.  Will 
you  please  to  expound  this  passage  a  little  more  clearly  1  Will  you  tell 
us  whether,  under  the  gospel,  there  is  any  sacred  time  except  the  Sab- 
bath ?  We  will  not  be  unreasonably  confident,  but  we  are  much  mista. 
ken,  if  you  can  give  any  clear  and  satisfactory  construction  to  this  pro- 
phecy, without  finding  that  something  of  Rome  still  cleaves  to  you. 
;  Suffer  us  here  to  declare  our  conviction,  that  you  could  take  no  more 
effectual  step,  toward  converting  the  Christian  world  to  right  views  about 
baptism,  than  to  embrace  the  Sabbath  of  the  Bible.  In  your  discussions 
with  Pedobaptists,  you  are  constantly  referred  to  the  change  of  the  Sab- 
bath, as  proof  that  some  things  may  be  binding,  which  the  scriptures  do 
not  expressly  enjoin.  You  have  never  met  this  argument  fairly  and 
fully.  To  be  sure,  you  always  make  an  attempt  to  meet  it.  But  how 
do  you  do  it  ?  By  proving  that  Christ  expressly  enjoined  his  followers  to 
sahhatize  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ?  By  showing  from  express  scrip- 
ture testimony,  that  the  apostles  did  actually  rest  from  their  labors  on  that 
day  ?  No.  Neither  of  these  things  have  you  ever  shown :  nor  can  you 
show  them.  The  whole  head  and  front  of  your  proof— if  proof  it  may  be 
called — amount  only  to  this;  that  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christiana 
nut  U^eiher  for  worshij^  on  that  day.    It  is  true,  by  such  a  course  you 


2!2  APPEAL  FOR  THE   SABBATH, 

have  generally  talked  your  opponents  into  silence,  because  by  exposing 
fully  the  defect  of  your  reply,  it  would  only  render  their  own  transgres- 
sion the  more  glaring.  But  while  you  silenced  them,  you  did  not  con- 
vince them.  While  they  saw  that  for  one  of  your  own  customs  you  could 
not  plead  a  "  thus  saith  the  Lord,"  they  felt  comparatively  easy  under 
all  your  rebukes,  and  naturally  enough  thought  it  not  very  important, 
that  they  should  have  a  "thus  saith  the  Lord,"  for  the  sprinkling  of 
babes. 

But  a  most  important  consideration,  in  view  of  this  subject,  is  the  influ- 
ence of  your  large  and  powerful  denomination  upon  an  unconverted 
world.  Whatever  your  theory  about  the  perpetuity  of  the  sabbatic  law — 
whatever  your  doubts  and  scruples  about  the  use  of  the  term  Sabbath 
under  the  gospel — you  cannot  rid  yourselves  of  a  deep  sense  of  the  im- 
portance of  a  day  of  rest  to  the  world  at  large.  Hence  the  resolutions  of 
your  churches  and  conventional  bodies,  with  regard  to  the  profanation  of 
what  you  call  the  Lord's  Day.  Hence  your  plain,  out-spoken  censures 
of  running  cars,  stages,  steamboats,  and  other  public  conveyances,  on  this 
day.  Hence  your  griefs  and  lamentations  over  those  who  make  it  a  day 
of  recreation,  or  mirth.  Hence  your  readiness  to  cooperate  with  those 
bodies  which  are  organized  to  suppress,  if  possible,  the  violation  of  the 
Sabbath.  We  admire  the  principle  which  governs  you  in  all  this ;  but 
we  lament  that  it  is  not  regulated  by  a  better  understanding  of  the  sub- 
ject. If  you  would  promote  right  principles,  you  must  be  careful  that 
your  proofs,  and  examples  for  illustration,  are  pertinent,  and  free  from  all 
uncertainty.  We  are  fully  persuaded,  that  your  Recommendations  and 
Pledges,  your  Resolutions  and  Associational  Acts,  will  always  meet  with 
defeat,  until  you  can  back  them  up  by  an  express  law  of  God,  which  will 
urge  and  goad  the  violator's  conscience  wherever  he  may  go.  The  con- 
sciences of  guilty  men  cannot  be  reached  by  the  method  you  are  pursu- 
ing. You  behold  them  desecrating  the  Sunday,  and,  in  order  to  make 
them  lay  it  to  heart  as  a  sin,  you  bring  down  upon  them — what  ?  Apos- 
tolic example  ?  New  Testament  intimations,  and  far-fetched  inferences  ? 
No.  None  of  these  do  you  think  of  employing.  But  the  Law,  the  all- 
searching,  sin-rebuking  Law  of  Grod,  is  the  only  means  you  think  of  in 
such  a  case.  Nothing  else  suits  your  purpose,  be  your  theory  what  it 
may.  But  hear  their  reply.  "  Is  the  law  of  the  Commandment  upon  us 
TO-DAY  ?  That  it  was  YESTERDAY,  we  allow ;  for  it  says,  '  the 
seventh  day.'  That  the  law  of  the  Commandment  lies  against  us  every 
day,  you  will  not  pretend ;  but  only  one  day  in  seven.  If  that  one  day 
vfB.s  yesterday,  you  are  yourselves  as  guilty  as  we  ;  and  we,  therefore,  feel 
comparatively  comfortable.  To  be  sure,  some  sense  of  the  necessity  of 
keeping  the  Sabbath  holy,  does  at  times  rest  upon  our  minds ;  and  our 
consciences,  for  the  moment,  reproach  us ;  but  when  we  see  you,  and  all 
the  Christian  world,  living  in  the  neglect  of  it,  we  feel  quite  easy  again, 
pmd  think  our  sin  to  be  but  a  light  one,"    Such  may  not  be  their  precise 


ADDRESSED  TO  THE  BAPTISTS.  23 

language;  but  it  is  the  exact  expression  of  their  hearts'  feelings.  Thus 
even  the  Law  fails  in  your  hands,  because  you  attempt  to  make  it  speak 
whai  it  toiU  not  speak. 

If  you  ask  us,  "  Do  you  meet  with  success  in  attempting  to  reach  the 
consciences  of  guilty,  unbelieving  men  V  we  reply,  that  we  have  no 
difficulty,  except  so  far  as  you,  and  the  whole  body  of  First-Da^;^  Chris- 
tians,  stand  in  the  way.  We  bring  them  to  admit,  openly  and  honestly, 
the  claims  of  Grod's  law,  and  a  sense  of  guilt  momentarily  rests  upon 
them.  But  immediately  they  turn  to  contemplate  your  practice,  and  their 
hearts  become  hardened.  We  do,  therefore,  affectionately,  but  earnestly, 
invite  you  to  consider,  how  tremendous  is  your  influence  toward  perpctu- 
atmg  Sabbath-profanation  in  the  land.  Your  numbers,  your  learning, 
your  talents,  your  wealth,  your  general  respectability,  all  combine  to 
operate  with  overwhelming  effect  in  this  matter. 

Our  observations,  if  correct,  go  to  show  what  a  source  of  danger  the 
Sunday  heresy  is  to  the  Moral  Law.  The  Sabbath  is  a  most  important 
precept  of  this  law ;  "  the  golden  clasp,"  as  an  old  writer  quaintly  observes, 
"  which  joins  the  two  tables  together ;  the  sinew  in  the  body  of  laws,  which 
were  written  with  God's  own  finger;  the  intermediate  precept,  which  par- 
ticipates of  the  sanctity  of  both  tables ;  and  the  due  observance  of  which 
is  the  fulfilling  of  the  whole  law."  This  important  precept  is  either  set 
aside  entirely ;  or  its  edge,  and  keenness,  and  all  its  power  to  cut  a  sin- 
ner's soul,  so  muffled  by  a  transfer  to  another  day,  that  the  united  elForts 
of  the  church  can  do  little  or  nothing  toward  impressing  it  on  the  con- 
science. Here,  then,  is  a  relaxation  of  the  standard  of  morality  ;  and 
while  the  standard  is  relaxed  with  regard  to  this  one  precept,  in  vain  do 
we  look  for  the  Law,  as  a  whole,  to  appear  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  men. 

This  remark  will  be  strengthened,  if  we  consider  to  what  inoonsistenciea 
the  advocates  of  Sunday  are  driven.  Some,  in  their  zeal  to  defend  it, 
even  go  so  far  as  to  deny  the  Moral  Law  to  be  a  rule  of  conduct  to  Chris- 
tians. Others,  though  they  admit  the  Law  to  be  a  rule  of  conduct,  can- 
not relieve  themselves  of,  at  least,  seeming  to  undervalue  it.  When  the 
Sabbath  discussion  is  out  of  sight,  they  speak  out  clearly,  and  without 
equivocation,  giving  the  fullest  proof  that  they  regard  the  Law  as  the  im- 
changeable  standard  of  obedience.  But,  at  other  times,  they  reason  from 
the  New  Dispensation,  in  a  manner  so  vague,  and  indefinite,  that  one  is 
puzzled  to  tell  whether  they  regard  the  gospel  as  enforcing  strict  obedi- 
ence to  the  Law,  or  not.  Now  he  that  is  established  in  the  clear  truth,  is 
hampered  with  no  such  difficulties.  There  is,  with  him,  not  only  the 
naked  and  abstract  admission,  that  the  Moral  Law  is  unchangeably  bind- 
ing ;  but  there  appears  such  a  beautiful,  and  perfect  conformity  between 
this  admission  and  the  principles  he  inculcates,  that  the  most  common 
minds  are  struck  with  it,  and  every  doubt  is  scattered. 

While  you  are  fettered  by  such  difficulties,  is  there  no  danger  that  the 
liaw  will  lose  its  sacredness  ia  the  eyes  of  the  people  ?    Surely  there  is. 


34  APPEAL   FOB.   THE   SABBATH, 

* 

There  is  danger,  also,  that  your  system  of  theology  will  be  corrupted  in 
other  particulars.  Error  goes  not  alone.  Could  an  opinion  exist  in  the 
mind,  circumscribed,  and  isolated,  without  affecting  any  of  our  other 
principles,  it  would  be  comparatively  harmless.  But  it  is  not  more  of  a 
truth,  that  a  man  who  utters  one  falsehood,  is  obliged  to  tell  twenty  more 
to  hide  it ;  than  that  he  who  supports  one  error,  is  obliged  to  forge  num- 
berless others  to  give  consistency  to  his  creed.  It  is  also  a  truth,  which 
reflection  and  daily  observation  will  confirm,  that  nearly,  if  not  quite,  all 
the  heresies  which  ever  infested  the  church  of  God,  are  traceable  to  some 
loose  motives  concerning  the  Moral  Law.  Nothing,  therefore,  can  be 
more  necessary,  than  that  our  creed  give  the  greatest  possible  prominence 
to  the  law  as  a  standard  of  holiness ;  and  that  our  customs  be  in  perfect 
c<«iformity  with  our  creed.  ^ 

Brethren,  can  we  hope  that  the  subject  on  which  we  have  addressed 
you,  will  receive  your  prayerful  attention  ?  Almost  your  entire  denomi- 
nation has  slumbered  over  it ;  but  may  we  not  hope,  that  you  will  now 
awake  ?  May  we  not  hope,  that  it  will  be  discussed  in  your  private  cir- 
cles, and  in  your  public  assemblies ;  in  your  Bible  classes,  and  in  your 
Sunday  schools : — that  it  will  be  studied  by  your  ministers,  and  by  the 
people  in  general ;  and  that  every  one  will,  in  the  deep  desire  of  his  soul, 
pray,  "  Lord,  open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  discern  wondrous  things 
out  of  thy  Law," 

But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  we  see  a  disposition  to  pass  it  by  with  cold 
neglect — an  unwillingness  to  look  the  question  in  the  face — an  attempt, 
on  the  part  of  your  teachers  and  leaders,  to  hush  it  up  as  a  matter  of  no 
importance— a  studied  effort  to  lead  the  people  away  from  it,  when  they 
are  disposed  to  examine — or  teaching  them  that  it  is  the  spirit,  rather 
than  the  letter  of  the  law  that  God  requires — we  shall  be  constrained  to 
apply  the  language  of  him,  who  spake  as  never  man  spake — "  Every  one 

THAT   DOETH   EVIL    HATETH   THE   LIGHT,    NEITHER    COMETH    TO   THE   UOHT, 
LEST   HIS   DEEDS   SHOULD   BE   REPROVED." — John  ili.   20, 


T  EJB     E  If  S  t 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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SEARS'  NEW  AND   COMPLETE   HISTORY 


HOLY    BIBLE, 

AS   CONTAINED   IN   THE 

<S>2&^  ^^m  ^21W   12*IB^1^aMIi^l^^3 

FROM   THE 

CEEATION  OF  THE  WORLD  TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY: 

CONTAINING 

A.    CLEAR    AND    COMPREHENSIVE    ACCOUNT    OF    EVERY    REMARKABLE    TRANSACTION 

RECORDED  IN  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURES  DURING  A  PERIOD  OF 

UPWARD  OF  FOUR  THOUSAND  YEARS. 

WITH  COPIOUS  NOTES,  CRITICAL  AND  EXPLANATORY, 

FORMING   AN 

ILLUSTRATED  COMMENTARY  OF  THE  SACRED  TEXT. 

PART  L— THE  OLD  TESTAMENT  HISTORY. 
PART  IL— THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  HISTORY. 

BY    ROBERT    SEARS. 

AIDES  BY  THE  WRITINGS  OF  OUR  MOST  CELEBRATED  BIBLICAL  SCHOLARS,  AND  OTHER  LEARNED 
PERSONS,    WHO    HAVE   MADE    THE    SCRIPTURES    THEIR    STUDY. 

TWO   VOLUMES  IN   ONE. 


m?*  LiTEBATUEE,  profane  and  sacred,  is  here  united  with  the  arts  of  printing  and  engraving,  to  produce 
one  of  the  most  valuable  and  interesting  works  ever  issued  from  the  American  press.  Commentators, 
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carefully  consulted  in  preparing  this  work.  The  editor  trusts  it  will  be  found  worthy  of  the  patronage  of 
Christian  pastors,  instructors,  and  parents  of  all  denominations  ;  and  well  calculated,  under  the  Divine 
blessing,  to  enlighten  the  understanding,  purify  the  heart,  and  promote  that  K.novvledge  by  wliich  we  may 
obtain  happiness  in  this  world,  and  eternal  salvation  in  that  wliich  is  to  come. 

ROBERT  SEARS,  Editor. 

nrT"  Agents,  responsible  men,  are  wanted  to  sell  the  above  work,  in  every  town  and  village  throughout 
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nz?  A  very  liberal  discount  made  by  the  quantity ;  and  circulars  supplied  in  any  quantity  to  Agents. 


THE  SABBATH  YINDICATOR. 


This  Pekiodicaj,  is  designed  to  be  published  monthly  by  the  General  Sabbath  Tract 
Society,  under  the  editorial  charge  of  Rev.  George  B.  Utter,  for  sale  and  gratuitous  dis- 
tribution. The  contributions  to  the  funds  of  the  Society  do  not  yet  warrant  the  Directors 
in  announc^g  its  regular  issue  ;  until  which,  additional  numbers  will  be  added  from  time 
to  time  as  circumstances  will  allow.  , 

It  will  be.  neatly  printed  on  eight  quarto  pages,  and  published  for  the  Society  by  J.  "Wji*- 
ciiESTER,  at  the  New  World  Office,  No.  30  Ann  street,  and  by  I.  P.  Labagh,  138  Fulton 
street.  It  is  hoped  that  such  as  "are  desirous  of  seeing  the  Sabbath  restored  on  the  sound 
basis  of  the  Commandment,  will  interest  themselves  to  give  it  the  widest  circulation.  To 
encourage  this,  it  will  be  mailed  to  Subscribers  at  the  following  rates: 

Single  Subscribers, 50  cents  a  year,  or  12  numbers. 

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VALUABLE  WOEKS  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

FOR  SALE  rOR  THE  GEN.  SAB.  TRACT  SOC.  BT 

E.  WALKER  «fe  CO.  114  FULTON  ST. 


DIFFERENT  SENTIMENTS  ENTERTAINED  IN  CHRISTENDOM  RELATIVE 
TO  THE  WEEKLY  SABBATH.  By  Rev.  R.  Bamside,  of  London.  A  few  copies 
only  on  hand. 

LETTERS  ON  THE  SABBATH,  between  Wm.  Parkinson  and  Wm.  B.  Maxson,  con- 
taining the  whole  correspondence. 

Also,  the  following  numbers  of  a  Series  of 

SABBATH  TRACTS. 

No.  1— An  Apology  for  introducing  the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth  Commandment  to  the  con- 
sideration of  the  Christian  Public.    28  pp. 
No.  2— Moral  Nature  and  Scriptural  Observance  of  the  Sabbath.    52  pp 
No.  3 — Authorhy  for  the  Change  of  the  Day  of  the  Sabbath.    28  pp. 
No.  4 — A  History  of  the  Obsers'ance  of  the  Sabbath  since  the  Apostles.    46  pp. 


